


A History of Botany in England

by Cantatrice18



Category: Nanny McPhee (2005)
Genre: Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 21:51:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8817538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cantatrice18/pseuds/Cantatrice18
Summary: Chrissy and Lily come across Evangeline attempting to read one of their father's books, and realize what she is ashamed to admit: she cannot read at all.





	

“I’d give it another two days. Less, if Simon has his way.”

Chrissy giggled, eyes alight with mischief. “That’ll be the fastest yet we’ve gotten rid of a nanny. Wonder how long the next one will take?”

“Don’t know,” Lily replied with a smirk. “Not long, though. They never last long, do they?”

“I think if we really tried, we could—“ 

Chrissy broke off as Lily nudged her. The older girl put a finger to her lips and jerked her head toward the door of their father’s study. Something inside had made a noise, but they both knew full well that their father was at work. Together the pair crept to the door and knelt, bending until they could peer through the crack between the door and the hardwood floor. Someone was standing by the far bookcase, unmoving, their sensible shoes the only thing visible from the girls’ vantage point. “Nanny?” Chrissy whispered. 

Lily shook her head. “Don’t think so. Last we heard, the old hag was downstairs.” She glanced through the crack in the door again, then looked pointedly at Chrissy. “On three,” she mouthed. “One, two—“

“Three!” Chrissy cried as the pair of them burst through the door. 

The figure by the bookshelf gasped and turned around, dropping what she held with a muffled thud. “Evangeline!” Chrissy cried. “What are you doing in Papa’s study in the middle of the day?”

“I was…” the young woman’s cheeks flushed. “Dusting, I was dusting.”

She knelt to pick up the thing she’d dropped, attempting to hide it in her skirts, but the girls were too quick for her. Lilly leapt forward and grabbed her by the arm, while Chrissy darted around to her far side. “A book! It’s a book!” the younger girl exclaimed.

Lily looked down at the still-kneeling servant and placed her hands on her hips. “Why were you reading one of Papa’s books?” she demanded.

“Were you stealing?” Chrissy asked with interest.

This suggestion made Evangeline sit up straight with indignation. “I never!” she exclaimed. “What a horrible thing to say!”

Lily gestured to Chrissy, who handed her the book Evangeline had been trying so hard to hide. “A Guide to…Bo-ta-ny in England,” she read off the cover. “Why on earth would you be reading that?”

“I—“ Evangeline’s face was bright red now, and she looked thoroughly miserable. “I thought the pictures were nice.”

Lily thumbed through the cloth-bound volume, realization slowly dawning on her. “Evangeline, can you read?”

“Course she can,” Chrissy replied, “She’s a grown up, isn’t she?”

Evangeline said nothing, her head bowed. Lily knelt beside her and held the book under her nose. “What’s that word say?” she asked, pointing to the word ‘History’ on the book’s cover.

Evangeline’s shoulders hunched and she turned her face away, but not before the girls saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes. “Oh, Evangeline!” Chrissy cried, hugging her awkwardly around the shoulders. “Don’t be sad, please don’t.”

“We didn’t mean anything by it,” Lily assured her. “It’s alright that you don’t read, not everyone does. Don’t cry, Evangeline.”

Evangeline smiled wistfully as she embraced Chrissy, her deep brown eyes meeting Lily’s. “You’re very lucky, you know, that your father is such an educated man and that he cares so much about your schooling.”

“Didn’t you go to school?” Chrissy asked, snuggling deeper into Evangeline’s embrace. 

The woman shook her head. “I went to work early, just a few years older than you. There was no time for schooling after that.”

A sudden idea came into Lily’s head. “Would you like to learn?” she asked abruptly. “To read, I mean? Because I could teach you.”

Evangeline looked stunned, her lips parting in surprise. “I—I mean, of course I do, but surely you have your own lessons.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll find the time,” Lily replied brightly. “With this nanny nearly gone, there will be a nice lull for a few days until Papa finds a new one.”

Evangline opened her mouth to ask a question, then seemed to think better of it, shaking her head. “I’d be honored to have you teach me.”

“Good!” Lily stood and pulled Evangeline to her feet. “Get off, Chrissy,” she ordered, when she saw the younger girl still clutching onto Evangeline’s arm. “The first step is to find you a real book, not one of these old things.” She gestured to the bookcase. “Papa may be smart, but he has terrible taste in books. Not a single good story among them. I know one you’d like better.”

She led Evangeline up the stairs to the children’s bedroom, which for once was mercifully empty of any of her siblings. “This one is very good,” she said, going to her own bedside and picking up a small red volume with a picture of a castle on the front. “It’s got lots of nice pictures, too. You can keep it for now, until you’ve finished it.” She handed it to Evangeline who held it as though it might break at any moment. “We’ll start your first lesson after tea.”

She grinned and Evangeline slowly returned the smile, giving both girls a hug while keeping a tight hold on the book. “You really are wonderful children, aren’t you,” she murmured.

“Shh! Don’t tell anyone.” 

Lily winked and Evangeline laughed. “Alright, I won’t, so long as you don’t forget it yourselves. You are both absolutely wonderful.”


End file.
